JDM Subaru Legacy unveiled. Wave "hi" to the wagon from afar...
by Alex Nunez on May 20th 2009 at 1:29PM 
2010 Subaru Legacy Touring Wagon (JDM) - Click above for a high-res image gallery
Subaru has unveiled the all-new Legacy in JDM form, and on paper, it pretty much looks the same as the U.S.-spec car. The 2.5- and 3.6-liter boxer engines you'll find underhood when the new Legacy arrives at your local Scooby store are now in the cars across the Pacific, replacing the 2.0-liter engines that motivated their predecessors. So, basically, not much new to see... unless you're a wagon lover. How come? Well, in Japan, drivers can still opt for the standard Legacy Touring Wagon (with purple paint, even!) in addition to the jacked-up Outback. Sadly, here in the U.S., if you want the added utility, the Outback remains your only option. You can check out the new Legacy wagon in the gallery below, but if you want to buy one, you're outta luck.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Taglane 1:34PM (5/20/2009)
But oh no "we'll sell all the fuglier ones to America".
I'd take this one.
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Jer 1:41PM (5/20/2009)
I think this one is plenty fugly as is.
Duke 3:01PM (5/20/2009)
I just don't understand the look of this car at all. Year after year of awful looking.
BoxerFanatic 3:22PM (5/20/2009)
The JDM and USDM Models look quite the same, save some VERY tiny details on the front and rear bumpers, grille, MAYBE shallower fender flares of the same outline shape, and the JDM having folding signal side mirrors from Tribeca, where USDM models have non-signal fixed mirrors. The JDM even gets fender flare extensions... which is kind of ridiculous considering the huge fender bulges it gets anyway.
I doubt anyone besides the dyed in the wool subie fanatics could tell any difference on first glance.
So saying the JDM is so much more attractive than USDM is not exactly demonstrable, other than the US not getting the Legacy Wagon, and comparing that to Outback only wagon status in the US.
And, BTW, Duke, the last 5 years of Legacy were actually pretty good looking. Tribeca, Impreza, and now '10 Legacy have been introductions of ugly cars, that part is true. At least Forester looks like a bulky little SUV, which fits it.
Color me thoroughly unimpressed, and Subaru actually had to work to do disappoint me so thoroughly.
BoxerFanatic 3:24PM (5/20/2009)
Sorry... JDM *OUTBACK* gets fender flares, just to be clear. USDM Legacy and Outback don't get fender extensions, as there is no reason on earth that they would ever NEED them, with those fenders...
Taglane 3:27PM (5/20/2009)
Let me just say the proportions look better in Wagon Form. The Legacy sedan is clumsy, and the Outback looks too tall.
Fox 1:47PM (5/20/2009)
Shame that the Wagon will not make it here.
I guess that the sales numbers are just too low to justify it.
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Craig 9:47PM (5/20/2009)
The wagon will make to Australia, as has every other Legacy/Liberty wagon :)
Praeliber 1:48PM (5/20/2009)
The "standard wagon" (read not outback) legacy is still available in Canada to this date. Hope they'll keep selling it to canadian customers... One of the few good real wagon (who really wants a "crossover" thingy car anyway...)
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TORONTO 1:49PM (5/20/2009)
Those rims look like 1980's hub-caps....
It is ugly... I'm a stomach ache just looking at the picture.
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Kumar 1:57PM (5/20/2009)
I keep getting taunted by the legacy wagon sitting out front of the Subie factory in Lafayette, IN when I drive by.
This thing would look good with audi-style chrome roof rails....though the outback would as well.
Still holding out a glimmer of hope that it will return with the diesel boxer. ;)
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Rob 4:28PM (5/20/2009)
I hear ya but Subarus are allergic to chrome.
Tim 2:03PM (5/20/2009)
Good Grief!!! It just gets worse and worse.
The previous Legacy was actually an attractive car, at least when it was initially launched.
This new one is an abomination.
I've owned 4 new Subarus in the past 10 years, but after the Impreza and now this thing, I'm sad to say that I can't see buying another one for the foreseeable future.
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John 2:15PM (5/20/2009)
I don't know what's up with Subaru. Their designs are getting stranger. Not good.
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BigEd 2:37PM (5/20/2009)
The all-new Subaru Legacy Wagon ... "We Had Only One Day To Design It"
Seriously, folks actually get paid to design crap like this?
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Ligor 5:10PM (5/21/2009)
you ever seen a dodge lately (xcept the challenger)
or a toyota
or a honda (the 2012 civic, yikes!)
companies seem to be on this uglifying trend for some reason
i don't get it either
Simon 3:03PM (5/20/2009)
I love my 2008 Legacy Wagon Touring Edition and hate the Outback with a passion. There's a club of Legacy Wagon owners - we all give each other waves and thumbs up. Sad to see the next generation wagon won't make it to North America. Who needs 2 more inches of ground clearance and Rubbermaid body panels?
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Tomac 3:00PM (5/20/2009)
I regret saying goodbye to Subaru as one of my favorite car makes. The current Legacy wagon is what I'd be driving if I didn't have 3 kids (or if the rear seat were larger), and the bug-eyed WRX 5-door will always be on my short list. This, however, is simply ugly. And grossly disappointing. I think the Mazda CX-9 will now end up my next purchase. I may still pick up that old WRX for a weekend racer, though.
What the hell happened to the styling? Is this Toyota influence or in-house failure on the part of Subie designers?
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Kumar 3:09PM (5/20/2009)
Either way, they're late to the SUV party.
I still don't get why they dropped the blacked out D pillars and gave the rear and a wedgie aside from SUV-izing it. The Ford flex kept the wagon look even though it's quite large.
AK 3:10PM (5/20/2009)
If Legacy wagons are such poor sellers, why is the dealer trying to get ours for 120% over KBB value, 2000 bucks towards a new Subaru, etc. etc.? This isn't just from the downturn by the way; we started receiving these cards a month after we bought the thing.
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